Methods and apparatus for performing machine learning to improve capabilities of an artificial intelligence (ai) entity used for online communications

ABSTRACT

A method for providing query responses to a user via online chat establishes a first communication connection for online chat between a user interface and an artificial intelligence (AI) entity comprising a processor and a memory element configured to store a database of query answers; receives a user input query transmitted via the first communication connection; performs a lookup in the database of query answers, to locate a query answer corresponding to the user input query; when unable to locate a query answer, establishes a second communication connection for online chat between the user interface and a live agent interface that transmits responses dynamically provided by a human operator; evaluates a chat between the user interface and the live agent interface; identifies an answer to the user input query, based on evaluating the chat; and stores the answer to be provided by the AI entity in the future.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the subject matter described herein relate generally tothe use of artificial intelligence associated with onlinecommunications. More particularly, embodiments of the subject matterrelate to providing a communication channel for live communication, by achat-bot, under defined conditions.

BACKGROUND

Artificial intelligence (AI) may be used to provide information to usersvia online communications with “chat-bots” or other automatedinteractive tools. Using chat-bots, automated AI systems conducttext-based chat conversations with users, through which users requestinformation. Chat-bots generally provide information to users forpredetermined situations, such as a recognized input user question forwhich a known answer may be provided. However, a chat-bot may not haveaccess to a predefined or known answer for certain input user questions.In this case, the text-based, online conversation with the chat-bot mayfail or generate an error condition, which may result in userfrustration due to the inability of the chat-bot to address the concernsof the user.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide additional information to a userwhen AI embodiments are unable to do so. Furthermore, other desirablefeatures and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequentdetailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field andbackground.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method forproviding query responses to a user via online chat. The methodestablishes a first communication connection for online chat between auser interface and an artificial intelligence (AI) entity comprising atleast one processor and a memory element configured to store a databaseof query answers; receives, by the at least one processor, a user inputquery transmitted via the first communication connection and from theuser interface; performs a lookup, by the at least one processor, in thedatabase of query answers, to locate a query answer corresponding to theuser input query; when the at least one processor is unable to locate aquery answer corresponding to the user input query, establishes a secondcommunication connection for online chat between the user interface anda live agent interface, wherein the live agent interface transmitsresponses that are dynamically provided by a human operator; evaluates achat between the user interface and the live agent interface, the chattransmitted via the second communication connection; identifies ananswer to the user input query, based on evaluating the chat; and storesthe answer to be provided by the AI entity during future chat instancesof receiving the user input query.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system forproviding query responses to a user via online chat, the systemcomprising an artificial intelligence (AI) entity. The system includes asystem memory element configured to store a database of query answers; acommunication device, configured to establish communication connectionsusing a computer network; and at least one processor communicativelycoupled to the system memory element and the communication device, theat least one processor configured to: establish a first communicationconnection, via the communication device, for online chat between a userinterface and the AI entity; receive a user input query transmitted viathe first communication connection and from the user interface; performa lookup in the database of query answers, to locate a query answercorresponding to the user input query; when the database does notinclude a query answer corresponding to the user input query, establisha second communication connection for online chat between the userinterface and a live agent interface, wherein the live agent interfacetransmits responses that are dynamically provided by a human operator;evaluate a chat between the user interface and the live agent interface,the chat transmitted via the second communication connection; identifyan answer to the user input query, based on evaluating the chat; andstore the answer to be provided by the AI entity during future chatinstances of receiving the user input query.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a non-transitory,computer-readable medium containing instructions thereon, which, whenexecuted by a processor, are capable of performing a method. When theprocessor is unable to locate a query answer corresponding to a userinput query submitted to an artificial intelligence (AI) entity via auser interface of an instant messaging platform, the method establishesa second communication connection for online chat between the userinterface and a live agent interface, wherein the live agent interfacetransmits responses that are dynamically provided by a human operator;evaluates a chat between the user interface and the live agentinterface, the chat transmitted via the second communication connection;identifies an answer to the user input query, based on evaluating thechat; and stores the answer to be provided by the AI entity duringfuture chat instances of receiving the user input query.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the detaileddescription. This summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subjectmatter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the subject matter may be derived byreferring to the detailed description and claims when considered inconjunction with the following figures, wherein like reference numbersrefer to similar elements throughout the figures.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an online communication system used in machinelearning, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an artificial intelligence (AI)entity computer system, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart that illustrates an embodiment of a process forproviding query responses to a user via online chat, by an AI entity;and

FIG. 4 is a conceptual block diagram of a multi-tenant system inaccordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is merely illustrative in nature andis not intended to limit the embodiments of the subject matter or theapplication and uses of such embodiments. As used herein, the word“exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.”Any implementation described herein as exemplary is not necessarily tobe construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations.Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed orimplied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background,brief summary or the following detailed description.

The subject matter presented herein relates to apparatus and methods forusing artificial intelligence (AI) entities, also known as “chat-bots”,to provide information to an end user. More specifically, the subjectmatter relates to the use of chat-bots to provide automated responses tovarious end user queries, to connect the end user to a live agent when aquery response is not available, and performing “machine learning” toacquire additional query responses through evaluation of online chatbetween the end user and a live agent.

Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 is a diagram of an onlinecommunication system 100 used in machine learning, in accordance withthe disclosed embodiments. As shown, the online communication system 100includes an AI entity computer system 102 with the capability tocommunicate, via a data communication network 106, with a user computersystem 104 and a human operator at a live agent computer system 108. Itshould be appreciated that the AI entity computer system 102, the usercomputer system 104, and the live agent computer system 108, and anycorresponding logical elements, individually or in combination, areexemplary means for performing a claimed function. In practice, anembodiment of the online communication system 100 may include additionalor alternative elements and components, as desired for the particularapplication, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The AI entity computer system 102 may be implemented using any suitablecomputer that includes at least one processor, some form of memoryhardware, and communication hardware, as described herein with respectto FIG. 2. In some embodiments, the AI entity computer system 102includes one or more dedicated computers. The server system is generallyconfigured to store, maintain, and execute one or more softwareplatforms and programs, such as artificial intelligence and machinelearning programs, online chat applications, and one or more databasesthat include predefined query responses for online interaction with auser.

The user computer system 104 may be implemented by any computing devicethat includes at least one processor, some form of memory hardware, auser interface, and communication hardware, such that a user maycommunicate with the AI entity computer system 102 and/or the live agentcomputer system 108. The user computer system 104 is capable ofcommunicating with the AI entity computer system 102 and the live agentcomputer system 108 via a data communication network 106. The usercomputer system 104 and the AI entity computer system 102 are generallydisparately located. The user computer system 104 is configured totransmit text-based, voice-based, and/or video-based communications toan artificial intelligence (AI) entity stored and executed by the AIentity computer system 102, which provides predefined answers inresponse.

The live agent computer system 108, like the user computer system 104,may be implemented by any computing device that includes at least oneprocessor, some form of memory hardware, and a user interface, such thata human operator may communicate with the user computer system 104 bysending and receiving text-based, voice-based (i.e., audio), and/orvideo-based messages from the live agent computer system 108. The usercomputer system 104 and the live agent computer system 108 are generallydisparately located, and the exchange of text-based, voice-based, and/orvideo-based messages generally occurs over the data communicationnetwork 108.

The AI entity computer system 102, the user computer system 104, and thelive agent computer system 108 are capable of communicating via a datacommunication network 106. The data communication network 106 may be anydigital or other communications network capable of transmitting messagesor data between devices, systems, or components. In certain embodiments,the data communication network 106 includes a packet switched networkthat facilitates packet-based data communication, addressing, and datarouting. The packet switched network could be, for example, a wide areanetwork, the Internet, or the like. In various embodiments, the datacommunication network 106 includes any number of public or private dataconnections, links or network connections supporting any number ofcommunications protocols. The data communication network 106 may includethe Internet, for example, or any other network based upon TCP/IP orother conventional protocols. In various embodiments, the datacommunication network 106 could also incorporate a wireless and/or wiredtelephone network, such as a cellular communications network forcommunicating with mobile phones, personal digital assistants, and/orthe like. The data communication network 106 may also incorporate anysort of wireless or wired local and/or personal area networks, such asone or more IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.16, and/or IEEE 802.11 networks, and/ornetworks that implement a short range (e.g., Bluetooth) protocol. Forthe sake of brevity, conventional techniques related to datatransmission, signaling, network control, and other functional aspectsof the systems (and the individual operating components of the systems)may not be described in detail herein.

During typical operation, the user computer system 102 may requestconnection to an AI entity stored, maintained, and executed by the AIentity computer system 102. In response, the AI entity computer system102 establishes a communication connection, via the data communicationnetwork 108, to the user computer system 104. A user may conduct (viathe user computer system 104) a text-based, voice-based, and/orvideo-based chat session with the AI entity (via the AI entity computersystem 102) which may be implemented as a “chat-bot”. Through thistext-based, voice-based, and/or video-based chat session, the usercomputer system 104 transmits queries to the AI entity, and in response,the AI entity computer system 102 provides predefined query responsesthat are stored by the AI entity computer system 102. When the usercomputer system 104 transmits a user query for which no predefined queryresponse exists (i.e., the AI entity computer system 102 does notrecognize an answer to a received query), then the AI entity computersystem 102 connects the user computer system 104 to the live agentcomputer system 108, such that a human operator of the live agentcomputer system 108 may provide an appropriate response to thetransmitted query. In this scenario, the AI entity computer system 102monitors that chat session that occurs between the user computer system104 and the live agent computer system 108, identifies an answer to thepreviously unrecognized user query, and stores the answer for futurequery response purposes.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an artificial intelligence (AI)entity computer system 200, in accordance with the disclosedembodiments. It should be noted that the AI entity computer system 200can be implemented with the AI entity computer 102 depicted in FIG. 1.In this regard, the AI entity computer system 200 shows certain elementsand components of the AI entity computer system 102 in more detail. TheAI entity computer system 200 generally includes, stores, maintains,operates, and/or executes, without limitation: at least one processor202; system memory 204 hardware; a database of query answers 206; anartificial intelligence (AI) module 208; an application programminginterface (API) module 210; a machine learning module 212; and acommunication device 214. These elements and features of the AI entitycomputer system 200 may be operatively associated with one another,coupled to one another, or otherwise configured to cooperate with oneanother as needed to support the desired functionality, as describedherein. For ease of illustration and clarity, the various physical,electrical, and logical couplings and interconnections for theseelements and features are not depicted in FIG. 2. Moreover, it should beappreciated that embodiments of the AI entity computer system 200 willinclude other elements, modules, and features that cooperate to supportthe desired functionality. For simplicity, FIG. 2 only depicts certainelements that relate to the techniques described in more detail below.

The at least one processor 202 may be implemented or performed with oneor more general purpose processors, a content addressable memory, adigital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, afield programmable gate array, any suitable programmable logic device,discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or anycombination designed to perform the functions described here. Inparticular, the at least one processor 202 may be realized as one ormore microprocessors, controllers, microcontrollers, or state machines.Moreover, the at least one processor 202 may be implemented as acombination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of digital signalprocessors and microprocessors, a plurality of microprocessors, one ormore microprocessors in conjunction with a digital signal processorcore, or any other such configuration.

The at least one processor 202 is communicatively coupled to, andcommunicates with, the system memory 204. The system memory 204 isconfigured to store any obtained or generated data associated withstoring, maintaining, and executing an AI entity used to conducttext-based, voice-based, and/or video-based online conversations (e.g.,“chat”) with a user. The system memory 204 may be realized using anynumber of devices, components, or modules, as appropriate to theembodiment. Moreover, the AI entity computer system 200 could includesystem memory 204 integrated therein and/or a system memory 204operatively coupled thereto, as appropriate to the particularembodiment. In practice, the system memory 204 could be realized as RAMmemory, flash memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a harddisk, a removable disk, or any other form of storage medium known in theart. In certain embodiments, the system memory 204 includes a hard disk,which may also be used to support functions of the server system 200.The system memory 204 can be coupled to the at least one processor 202such that the at least one processor 202 can read information from, andwrite information to, the system memory 204. In the alternative, thesystem memory 204 may be integral to the at least one processor 202. Asan example, the at least one processor 202 and the system memory 204 mayreside in a suitably designed application-specific integrated circuit(ASIC).

The database of query answers 206 includes a plurality of stored,predefined responses for user queries received by the AI entity computersystem 200. Each of the plurality of predefined responses is associatedwith one or more defined user queries, and may be provided in responseto receiving a corresponding user query. The database of query answers206 is generally stored in the system memory 204 element, and isaccessed and searched by the AI entity module 208 in response to userqueries.

The artificial intelligence (AI) entity module 208 is suitablyconfigured to implement and use one or more AI entities, or in otherwords, “chat-bots”, to interact with a user (e.g., a user computersystem, as described in FIG. 1) via a text-based, voice-based, and/orvideo-based chat feature of any appropriate communication platform. Asused herein, chat-bot may be defined as a computer program thatsimulates human conversation (i.e., “chat”) through artificialintelligence. Typically, a chat bot will communicate with a human user,and chat-bots are often used in online applications that provide onlinehelp or customer service. The AI entity module 208 implements one ormore chat-bots to interact with any communication platform or chatproduct or service, such as Facebook Messenger, Twitter, Slack,Telegram, Alexa, Skype, or any other text messaging platform. In certainembodiments, the AI entity module 2085 provides a chat-bot to interactwith a user via a user interface of a communication platform executedand operated by the user. Such a chat-bot may provide text-based,voice-based, or video-based answers to user-entered queries. The AIentity module 208 includes intelligence to interpret intent of a userand to make appropriate decisions based on past interactions with users.In the event of uncertainty (e.g., a user query with no predefinedanswer), the AI entity module 208 redirects the request to a live agent.

The application programming interface (API) module 210 is configured tostore, maintain, and execute one or more APIs to facilitatecommunication between the AI entity computer system 200 and an end user,and between an end user and a human operator. For communications betweenthe AI entity computer system 200 and an end user, the API module 210may use text APIs, audio call APIs, video call APIs, and live agent textchat APIs. For communications between an end user and a human operator,the API module 210 functions to establish a communication connectionbetween a user computer system and a live agent computer system, whereinthe user computer system, the live agent computer system, and the AIentity computer system 200 are separate and distinct computers thatcommunicate via a data communication network, as described with respectto FIG. 1.

The machine learning module 212 is configured to identify previouslyunknown responses applicable to received user queries, and to associateand store the previously unknown responses with the corresponding userqueries, for future use. Exemplary embodiments of the machine learningmodule 212 monitor online chat sessions between a user computer systemand a live agent computer system, that have been established by the AIentity module 208, using the API module 210. Such chat sessions areestablished when the AI entity module 208 is unable to provide an answerto a user query, and the answer must be requested from a live agent. Themachine learning module 212 evaluates the chat session to identify theanswer, associates the answer to the submitted user query, and storesthe user query and identified answer in the database of query answers206, for future use when providing a query response to another instanceof receiving the user query.

In practice, the artificial intelligence (AI) entity module 208, theapplication programming interface (API) module 210, and/or the machinelearning module 212, may be implemented with (or cooperate with) the atleast one processor 202 to perform at least some of the functions andoperations described in more detail herein. In this regard theartificial intelligence (AI) entity module 208, the applicationprogramming interface (API) module 210, and/or the machine learningmodule 212 may be realized as suitably written processing logic,application program code, or the like.

The communication device 214 is suitably configured to communicate databetween the AI entity computer system 200 and one or more user computersystems (e.g., user computer system 104 of FIG. 1) and one or more liveagent computer systems (e.g., live agent computer system 108 of FIG. 1).The communication device 214 may transmit and receive communicationsover a wireless local area network (WLAN), the Internet, a satelliteuplink/downlink, a cellular network, a broadband network, a wide areanetwork, or the like. As described in more detail below, data receivedby the communication device 214 may include, without limitation:text-based, voice-based, and/or video-based messages from a user via achat-bot (i.e., AI entity) and/or a live agent computer system, andother data compatible with the AI entity computer system 200. Dataprovided by the communication device 214 may include, withoutlimitation, user query responses, and the like.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart that illustrates an embodiment of a process 300for providing query responses to a user via online chat, by an AIentity. The various tasks performed in connection with process 300 maybe performed by software, hardware, firmware, or any combinationthereof. For illustrative purposes, the following description of process300 may refer to elements mentioned above in connection with FIGS. 1-2.In practice, portions of process 300 may be performed by differentelements of the described system. It should be appreciated that process300 may include any number of additional or alternative tasks, the tasksshown in FIG. 3 need not be performed in the illustrated order, andprocess 300 may be incorporated into a more comprehensive procedure orprocess having additional functionality not described in detail herein.Moreover, one or more of the tasks shown in FIG. 3 could be omitted froman embodiment of the process 300 as long as the intended overallfunctionality remains intact.

First, the process 300 establishes a first communication connection foronline chat between a user interface and an artificial intelligence (AI)entity comprising at least one processor and a memory element configuredto store a database of query answers (step 302). The first communicationconnection provides a mechanism by which a user computer systemcommunicates with an AI entity, or “chat-bot”, provided by an AI entitycomputer system, as described with respect to FIG. 1. The process 300then receives, by the at least one processor, a user input querytransmitted via the first communication connection and from the userinterface (step 304). In some embodiments, the first communicationconnection is established when the AI entity connects to an instantmessaging platform using a computer network, wherein the user interfacecomprises a graphical user interface (GUI) presented by the instantmessaging platform, and wherein the user input query is received by theAI entity via the GUI and transmitted by the instant messaging platform.In some embodiments, the first communication connection is establishedwhen the AI entity connects to a social media instant messaging platformusing a computer network, wherein the user interface comprises a socialmedia chat interface presented by the social media instant messagingplatform, and wherein the user input query is received via the socialmedia chat interface and transmitted by the social media instantmessaging platform.

Once the user query is received by the AI entity (step 306), the process300 performs a lookup, by the at least one processor, in the database ofquery answers, to locate a query answer corresponding to the user inputquery (step 306), and the process 300 then determines whether theprocessor is able to locate a query answer corresponding to the userinput query (decision 308). In some embodiments, locating a queryanswer, by the at least one processor, includes performing the lookup tolocate a match for the user input query in the database, wherein thequery answer corresponding to the user input query further correspondsto the match in the database, and when there is no match for the userinput query in the database, determining that the at least one processoris unable to locate a query answer. Here, the process 300 seeks an exactmatch to the user input query, and determines whether an appropriateresponse to the user input query is available by comparing the userinput query to the contents of the database of query answers. Thedatabase of query answers includes a plurality of predefined queryanswers and corresponding user input queries, and the process 300identifies the appropriate response by comparing the user input query tothe contents of the database of query answers and located a match amongthe stored, corresponding user input queries.

In other embodiments, the database comprises a plurality of candidateuser input queries, and locating a query answer, by the at least oneprocessor, includes performing the lookup to locate at least one of theplurality of candidate user input queries within a confidence threshold,and when the plurality of candidate user input queries are not withinthe confidence threshold, determining that the at least one processor isunable to locate a query answer. Here, the process 300 Natural LanguageProcessing and machine learning to determine, within certain confidencelevel, the intent and sentiment of the user. Then the Confidencethreshold, which is pre-set by an administrator, is used by the process300 to evaluate whether the machine-determined understanding of the userquery is accurate enough. If one of the plurality of candidate userinput queries in within the predefined confidence threshold, then theprocess 300 handles the user request, as described herein with regard tostep 310. If not, the user query is forwarded to a human agent, asdescribed herein with regard to steps 312-318.

When the processor is able to locate a query answer corresponding to theuser input query (the “Yes” branch of 308), then the process 300provides the query answer, by the at least one processor, via the firstcommunication connection (step 310). Here, the query answer has beenlocated in the database of query answers and is transmitted, via thefirst communication connection, to the user interface for presentationto the user.

However, when the processor is unable to locate a query answercorresponding to the user input query (the “No” branch of 308), then theprocess 300 establishes a second communication connection for onlinechat between the user interface and a live agent interface, wherein thelive agent interface transmits responses that are dynamically providedby a human operator (step 312). Here, because the process 300 is unableto provide a recognized appropriate response to the user input query,the process 300 establishes a separate and distinct communicationconnection between the user computer system and a live agent computersystem (described previously with respect to FIG. 1), such that the usermay obtain an appropriate query response from the live agent.

In some embodiments, the process 300 uses an application programminginterface (API) to establish the second communication connection, by theat least one processor, wherein the API comprises at least one of a textAPI, an audio call API, a video call API, and a live agent text chatAPI. The API used by the process 300 to establish the secondcommunication connection may facilitate any type of communication, andthe format of the chat session between the end user computer and thelive agent computer is determined by the type of API used. Exemplaryembodiments of the API may include, without limitation, a SalesforceLive Agent API, Salesforce Snap-ins API, and/or a Salesforce Live TextAPI.

Once the second communication connection is established (step 312), theprocess 300 monitors the chat session that occurs using the secondcommunication connection, and evaluates the chat between the userinterface and the live agent interface, the chat transmitted via thesecond communication connection (step 314). The process 300 thenidentifies an answer to the user input query, based on evaluating thechat (step 316). Here, the process 300 identifies contents of the chat,wherein the contents comprise the user input query and a responseprovided by the live agent interface. The process 300 recognizes theresponse provided by the live agent as the answer. In certainembodiments, the process 300 records the interactions between humanagent and the user, including the contents of the chat. The contents ofthe chat are then used by the process 300 to analyze a general patternof conversation associated with the contents of the chat. The generalpattern of conversation is then used by the process 300 in future tohandle user query without resorting to the handoff to a human agent, ifthe confidence level exceeds the threshold.

After identifying the answer (step 316), the process 300 stores theanswer to be provided by the AI entity during future chat instances ofreceiving the user input query (step 318). The process 300 associatesthe response to the user input query, to generate an associatedresponse, and stores the user input query and the associated response inthe database of query responses. Once stored, the new query responsewill be provided by the process 300 when the user input query issubmitted by any chat user in the future.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual block diagram of a multi-tenant system 400 inaccordance with the disclosed embodiments. Some embodiments disclosedherein may include artificial intelligence (AI) entities, wherein eachof the AI entities is associated with a particular tenant of themulti-tenant system 400. Additionally, some of the embodiments of AIentities disclosed herein may receive software updates or upgradesautomatically when the multi-tenant system 400 is updated.

The multi-tenant system 400 may be used to in conjunction with the CRMsoftware applications described previously. Platform as a Service (PaaS)is the foundation of the multi-tenant architecture. At the heart, thisPaaS is a relational database management system. All of the coremechanisms in a relational database management system (RDBMS) (e.g., asystem catalog, caching mechanisms, query optimizer, and applicationdevelopment features) are built to support multi-tenant applications andto be run directly on top of a specifically tuned host operating systemand raw hardware. The runtime engine has the intelligence to access themetadata and transactional data and perform the applicationfunctionality that can scale.

The multi-tenant system 400 of FIG. 4 includes a server 402 thatdynamically creates and supports virtual applications 428 based upondata 432 from a common database 430 that is shared between multipletenants, alternatively referred to herein as a multi-tenant database.Data and services generated by the virtual applications 428 are providedvia a network 445 to any number of client devices 440, as desired. Eachvirtual application 428 is suitably generated at run-time (or on-demand)using a common application platform 410 that securely provides access tothe data 432 in the database 430 for each of the various tenantssubscribing to the multi-tenant system 400. In accordance with onenon-limiting example, the multi-tenant system 400 is implemented in theform of an on-demand multi-tenant customer relationship management (CRM)system that can support any number of authenticated users of multipletenants.

As used herein, a “tenant” or an “organization” should be understood asreferring to a group of one or more users that shares access to commonsubset of the data within the multi-tenant database 430. In this regard,each tenant includes one or more users associated with, assigned to, orotherwise belonging to that respective tenant. To put it another way,each respective user within the multi-tenant system 400 is associatedwith, assigned to, or otherwise belongs to a particular tenant of theplurality of tenants supported by the multi-tenant system 400. Tenantsmay represent customers, customer departments, business or legalorganizations, and/or any other entities that maintain data forparticular sets of users within the multi-tenant system 400 (i.e., inthe multi-tenant database 430). For example, the application server 402may be associated with one or more tenants supported by the multi-tenantsystem 400. Although multiple tenants may share access to the server 402and the database 430, the particular data and services provided from theserver 402 to each tenant can be securely isolated from those providedto other tenants (e.g., by restricting other tenants from accessing aparticular tenant's data using that tenant's unique organizationidentifier as a filtering criterion). The multi-tenant architecturetherefore allows different sets of users to share functionality andhardware resources without necessarily sharing any of the data 432belonging to or otherwise associated with other tenants.

The multi-tenant database 430 is any sort of repository or other datastorage system capable of storing and managing the data 432 associatedwith any number of tenants. The database 430 may be implemented usingany type of conventional database server hardware. In variousembodiments, the database 430 shares processing hardware 404 with theserver 402. In other embodiments, the database 430 is implemented usingseparate physical and/or virtual database server hardware thatcommunicates with the server 402 to perform the various functionsdescribed herein. In an exemplary embodiment, the database 430 includesa database management system or other equivalent software capable ofdetermining an optimal query plan for retrieving and providing aparticular subset of the data 432 to an instance of virtual application428 in response to a query initiated or otherwise provided by a virtualapplication 428. The multi-tenant database 430 may alternatively bereferred to herein as an on-demand database, in that the multi-tenantdatabase 430 provides (or is available to provide) data at run-time toon-demand virtual applications 428 generated by the application platform410.

In practice, the data 432 may be organized and formatted in any mannerto support the application platform 410. In various embodiments, thedata 432 is suitably organized into a relatively small number of largedata tables to maintain a semi-amorphous “heap”-type format. The data432 can then be organized as needed for a particular virtual application428. In various embodiments, conventional data relationships areestablished using any number of pivot tables 434 that establishindexing, uniqueness, relationships between entities, and/or otheraspects of conventional database organization as desired. Further datamanipulation and report formatting is generally performed at run-timeusing a variety of metadata constructs. Metadata within a universal datadirectory (UDD) 436, for example, can be used to describe any number offorms, reports, workflows, user access privileges, business logic andother constructs that are common to multiple tenants. Tenant-specificformatting, functions and other constructs may be maintained astenant-specific metadata 438 for each tenant, as desired. Rather thanforcing the data 432 into an inflexible global structure that is commonto all tenants and applications, the database 430 is organized to berelatively amorphous, with the pivot tables 434 and the metadata 438providing additional structure on an as-needed basis. To that end, theapplication platform 410 suitably uses the pivot tables 434 and/or themetadata 438 to generate “virtual” components of the virtualapplications 428 to logically obtain, process, and present therelatively amorphous data 432 from the database 430.

The server 402 is implemented using one or more actual and/or virtualcomputing systems that collectively provide the dynamic applicationplatform 410 for generating the virtual applications 428. For example,the server 402 may be implemented using a cluster of actual and/orvirtual servers operating in conjunction with each other, typically inassociation with conventional network communications, clustermanagement, load balancing and other features as appropriate. The server402 operates with any sort of conventional processing hardware 404, suchas a processor 405, memory 406, input/output features 408 and the like.The input/output features 408 generally represent the interface(s) tonetworks (e.g., to the network 445, or any other local area, wide areaor other network), mass storage, display devices, data entry devicesand/or the like. The processor 405 may be implemented using any suitableprocessing system, such as one or more processors, controllers,microprocessors, microcontrollers, processing cores and/or othercomputing resources spread across any number of distributed orintegrated systems, including any number of “cloud-based” or othervirtual systems. The memory 406 represents any non-transitory short orlong term storage or other computer-readable media capable of storingprogramming instructions for execution on the processor 405, includingany sort of random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), flashmemory, magnetic or optical mass storage, and/or the like. Thecomputer-executable programming instructions, when read and executed bythe server 402 and/or processor 405, cause the server 402 and/orprocessor 405 to create, generate, or otherwise facilitate theapplication platform 410 and/or virtual applications 428 and perform oneor more additional tasks, operations, functions, and/or processesdescribed herein. It should be noted that the memory 406 represents onesuitable implementation of such computer-readable media, andalternatively or additionally, the server 402 could receive andcooperate with external computer-readable media that is realized as aportable or mobile component or application platform, e.g., a portablehard drive, a USB flash drive, an optical disc, or the like.

The application platform 410 is any sort of software application orother data processing engine that generates the virtual applications 428that provide data and/or services to the client devices 440. In atypical embodiment, the application platform 410 gains access toprocessing resources, communications interfaces and other features ofthe processing hardware 404 using any sort of conventional orproprietary operating system 409. The virtual applications 428 aretypically generated at run-time in response to input received from theclient devices 440. For the illustrated embodiment, the applicationplatform 410 includes a bulk data processing engine 412, a querygenerator 414, a search engine 416 that provides text indexing and othersearch functionality, and a runtime application generator 420. Each ofthese features may be implemented as a separate process or other module,and many equivalent embodiments could include different and/oradditional features, components or other modules as desired.

The runtime application generator 420 dynamically builds and executesthe virtual applications 428 in response to specific requests receivedfrom the client devices 440. The virtual applications 428 are typicallyconstructed in accordance with the tenant-specific metadata 438, whichdescribes the particular tables, reports, interfaces and/or otherfeatures of the particular application 428. In various embodiments, eachvirtual application 428 generates dynamic web content that can be servedto a browser or other client program 442 associated with its clientdevice 440, as appropriate.

The runtime application generator 420 suitably interacts with the querygenerator 414 to efficiently obtain multi-tenant data 432 from thedatabase 430 as needed in response to input queries initiated orotherwise provided by users of the client devices 440. In a typicalembodiment, the query generator 414 considers the identity of the userrequesting a particular function (along with the user's associatedtenant), and then builds and executes queries to the database 430 usingsystem-wide metadata 436, tenant specific metadata 438, pivot tables434, and/or any other available resources. The query generator 414 inthis example therefore maintains security of the common database 430 byensuring that queries are consistent with access privileges granted tothe user and/or tenant that initiated the request. In this manner, thequery generator 414 suitably obtains requested subsets of data 432accessible to a user and/or tenant from the database 430 as needed topopulate the tables, reports or other features of the particular virtualapplication 428 for that user and/or tenant.

Still referring to FIG. 4, the data processing engine 412 performs bulkprocessing operations on the data 432 such as uploads or downloads,updates, online transaction processing, and/or the like. In manyembodiments, less urgent bulk processing of the data 432 can bescheduled to occur as processing resources become available, therebygiving priority to more urgent data processing by the query generator414, the search engine 416, the virtual applications 428, etc.

In exemplary embodiments, the application platform 410 is utilized tocreate and/or generate data-driven virtual applications 428 for thetenants that they support. Such virtual applications 428 may make use ofinterface features such as custom (or tenant-specific) screens 424,standard (or universal) screens 422 or the like. Any number of customand/or standard objects 426 may also be available for integration intotenant-developed virtual applications 428. As used herein, “custom”should be understood as meaning that a respective object or applicationis tenant-specific (e.g., only available to users associated with aparticular tenant in the multi-tenant system) or user-specific (e.g.,only available to a particular subset of users within the multi-tenantsystem), whereas “standard” or “universal” applications or objects areavailable across multiple tenants in the multi-tenant system. Forexample, a virtual CRM application may utilize standard objects 426 suchas “account” objects, “opportunity” objects, “contact” objects, or thelike. The data 432 associated with each virtual application 428 isprovided to the database 430, as appropriate, and stored until it isrequested or is otherwise needed, along with the metadata 438 thatdescribes the particular features (e.g., reports, tables, functions,objects, fields, formulas, code, etc.) of that particular virtualapplication 428. For example, a virtual application 428 may include anumber of objects 426 accessible to a tenant, wherein for each object426 accessible to the tenant, information pertaining to its object typealong with values for various fields associated with that respectiveobject type are maintained as metadata 438 in the database 430. In thisregard, the object type defines the structure (e.g., the formatting,functions and other constructs) of each respective object 426 and thevarious fields associated therewith.

Still referring to FIG. 4, the data and services provided by the server402 can be retrieved using any sort of personal computer, mobiletelephone, tablet or other network-enabled client device 440 on thenetwork 445. In an exemplary embodiment, the client device 440 includesa display device, such as a monitor, screen, or another conventionalelectronic display capable of graphically presenting data and/orinformation retrieved from the multi-tenant database 430. Typically, theuser operates a conventional browser application or other client program442 executed by the client device 440 to contact the server 402 via thenetwork 445 using a networking protocol, such as the hypertext transportprotocol (HTTP) or the like. The user typically authenticates his or heridentity to the server 402 to obtain a session identifier (“SessionID”)that identifies the user in subsequent communications with the server402. When the identified user requests access to a virtual application428, the runtime application generator 420 suitably creates theapplication at run time based upon the metadata 438, as appropriate. Asnoted above, the virtual application 428 may contain Java, ActiveX, orother content that can be presented using conventional client softwarerunning on the client device 440; other embodiments may simply providedynamic web or other content that can be presented and viewed by theuser, as desired.

Techniques and technologies may be described herein in terms offunctional and/or logical block components, and with reference tosymbolic representations of operations, processing tasks, and functionsthat may be performed by various computing components or devices. Suchoperations, tasks, and functions are sometimes referred to as beingcomputer-executed, computerized, software-implemented, orcomputer-implemented. In practice, one or more processor devices cancarry out the described operations, tasks, and functions by manipulatingelectrical signals representing data bits at memory locations in thesystem memory, as well as other processing of signals. The memorylocations where data bits are maintained are physical locations thathave particular electrical, magnetic, optical, or organic propertiescorresponding to the data bits. It should be appreciated that thevarious block components shown in the figures may be realized by anynumber of hardware, software, and/or firmware components configured toperform the specified functions. For example, an embodiment of a systemor a component may employ various integrated circuit components, e.g.,memory elements, digital signal processing elements, logic elements,look-up tables, or the like, which may carry out a variety of functionsunder the control of one or more microprocessors or other controldevices.

When implemented in software or firmware, various elements of thesystems described herein are essentially the code segments orinstructions that perform the various tasks. The program or codesegments can be stored in a processor-readable medium or transmitted bya computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave over a transmissionmedium or communication path. The “computer-readable medium”,“processor-readable medium”, or “machine-readable medium” may includeany medium that can store or transfer information. Examples of theprocessor-readable medium include an electronic circuit, a semiconductormemory device, a ROM, a flash memory, an erasable ROM (EROM), a floppydiskette, a CD-ROM, an optical disk, a hard disk, a fiber optic medium,a radio frequency (RF) link, or the like. The computer data signal mayinclude any signal that can propagate over a transmission medium such aselectronic network channels, optical fibers, air, electromagnetic paths,or RF links. The code segments may be downloaded via computer networkssuch as the Internet, an intranet, a LAN, or the like.

The following description refers to elements or nodes or features being“connected” or “coupled” together. As used herein, unless expresslystated otherwise, “coupled” means that one element/node/feature isdirectly or indirectly joined to (or directly or indirectly communicateswith) another element/node/feature, and not necessarily mechanically.Likewise, unless expressly stated otherwise, “connected” means that oneelement/node/feature is directly joined to (or directly communicateswith) another element/node/feature, and not necessarily mechanically.Thus, although the schematic shown in FIG. 2 depicts one exemplaryarrangement of elements, additional intervening elements, devices,features, or components may be present in an embodiment of the depictedsubject matter.

For the sake of brevity, conventional techniques related to signalprocessing, data transmission, signaling, network control, and otherfunctional aspects of the systems (and the individual operatingcomponents of the systems) may not be described in detail herein.Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures containedherein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationshipsand/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should benoted that many alternative or additional functional relationships orphysical connections may be present in an embodiment of the subjectmatter.

Some of the functional units described in this specification have beenreferred to as “modules” in order to more particularly emphasize theirimplementation independence. For example, functionality referred toherein as a module may be implemented wholly, or partially, as ahardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays,off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or otherdiscrete components. A module may also be implemented in programmablehardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmablearray logic, programmable logic devices, or the like. Modules may alsobe implemented in software for execution by various types of processors.An identified module of executable code may, for instance, comprise oneor more physical or logical modules of computer instructions that may,for instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function.Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module need not bephysically located together, but may comprise disparate instructionsstored in different locations that, when joined logically together,comprise the module and achieve the stated purpose for the module.Indeed, a module of executable code may be a single instruction, or manyinstructions, and may even be distributed over several different codesegments, among different programs, and across several memory devices.Similarly, operational data may be embodied in any suitable form andorganized within any suitable type of data structure. The operationaldata may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed overdifferent locations including over different storage devices, and mayexist, at least partially, merely as electronic signals on a system ornetwork.

While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in theforegoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vastnumber of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that theexemplary embodiment or embodiments described herein are not intended tolimit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the claimed subjectmatter in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description willprovide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map forimplementing the described embodiment or embodiments. It should beunderstood that various changes can be made in the function andarrangement of elements without departing from the scope defined by theclaims, which includes known equivalents and foreseeable equivalents atthe time of filing this patent application.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for providing query responses to a uservia online chat, the method comprising: establishing a firstcommunication connection for online chat between a user interface and anartificial intelligence (AI) entity comprising at least one processorand a memory element configured to store a database of query answers;receiving, by the at least one processor, a user input query transmittedvia the first communication connection and from the user interface;performing a lookup, by the at least one processor, in the database ofquery answers, to locate a query answer corresponding to the user inputquery; when the at least one processor is unable to locate a queryanswer corresponding to the user input query, establishing a secondcommunication connection for online chat between the user interface anda live agent interface, wherein the live agent interface transmitsresponses that are dynamically provided by a human operator; evaluatinga chat between the user interface and the live agent interface, the chattransmitted via the second communication connection; identifying ananswer to the user input query, based on evaluating the chat; andstoring the answer to be provided by the AI entity during future chatinstances of receiving the user input query.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the first communication connection is established by connectingto an instant messaging platform using a computer network; wherein theuser interface comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) presented bythe instant messaging platform; and wherein the user input query isreceived via the GUI and transmitted by the instant messaging platform.3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication connection isestablished by connecting to a social media instant messaging platformusing a computer network; wherein the user interface comprises a socialmedia chat interface presented by the social media instant messagingplatform; and wherein the user input query is received via the socialmedia chat interface and transmitted by the social media instantmessaging platform.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein locating a queryanswer, by the at least one processor, further comprises: performing thelookup to locate a match for the user input query in the database,wherein the query answer corresponding to the user input query furthercorresponds to the match in the database; and when there is no match forthe user input query in the database, determining that the at least oneprocessor is unable to locate a query answer.
 5. The method of claim 1,wherein the database comprises a plurality of candidate user inputqueries; and wherein locating a query answer, by the at least oneprocessor, further comprises: performing the lookup to locate at leastone of the plurality of candidate user input queries within a confidencethreshold; and when the plurality of candidate user input queries arenot within the confidence threshold, determining that the at least oneprocessor is unable to locate a query answer.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein evaluating the chat further comprises: identifying contents ofthe chat, wherein the contents comprise the user input query and aresponse provided by the live agent interface, wherein the answercomprises the response; and wherein storing the answer furthercomprises: associating the response to the user input query, to generatean associated response; and storing the user input query and theassociated response.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: usingan application programming interface (API) to establish the secondcommunication connection, by the at least one processor; wherein the APIcomprises at least one of a text API, an audio call API, a video callAPI, and a live agent text chat API.
 8. A system for providing queryresponses to a user via online chat, the system comprising an artificialintelligence (AI) entity, and the system comprising: a system memoryelement configured to store a database of query answers; a communicationdevice, configured to establish communication connections using acomputer network; and at least one processor communicatively coupled tothe system memory element and the communication device, the at least oneprocessor configured to: establish a first communication connection, viathe communication device, for online chat between a user interface andthe AI entity; receive a user input query transmitted via the firstcommunication connection and from the user interface; perform a lookupin the database of query answers, to locate a query answer correspondingto the user input query; when the database does not include a queryanswer corresponding to the user input query, establish a secondcommunication connection for online chat between the user interface anda live agent interface, wherein the live agent interface transmitsresponses that are dynamically provided by a human operator; evaluate achat between the user interface and the live agent interface, the chattransmitted via the second communication connection; identify an answerto the user input query, based on evaluating the chat; and store theanswer to be provided by the AI entity during future chat instances ofreceiving the user input query.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein thecommunication device is further configured to establish the firstcommunication connection by connecting to an instant messaging platformusing a computer network; wherein the user interface comprises agraphical user interface (GUI) presented by the instant messagingplatform; and wherein the user input query is received via the GUI andtransmitted by the instant messaging platform.
 10. The system of claim8, wherein the communication device is further configured to establishthe first communication connection by connecting to a social mediainstant messaging platform using a computer network; wherein the userinterface comprises a social media chat interface presented by thesocial media instant messaging platform; and wherein the user inputquery is received via the social media chat interface and transmitted bythe social media instant messaging platform.
 11. The system of claim 8,wherein the at least one processor is further configured to locate aquery answer, by: performing the lookup to locate a match for the userinput query in the database, wherein the query answer corresponding tothe user input query further corresponds to the match in the database;and when there is no match for the user input query in the database,determining that the at least one processor is unable to locate a queryanswer.
 12. The system of claim 8, wherein the database comprises aplurality of candidate user input queries; and wherein the at least oneprocessor is further configured to locate a query answer, by: performingthe lookup to locate at least one of the plurality of candidate userinput queries within a confidence threshold; and when the plurality ofcandidate user input queries are not within the confidence threshold,determining that the at least one processor is unable to locate a queryanswer.
 13. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor isfurther configured to evaluate the chat, by: identifying contents of thechat, wherein the contents comprise the user input query and a responseprovided by the live agent interface, wherein the answer comprises theresponse; and wherein storing the answer further comprises: associatingthe response to the user input query, to generate an associatedresponse; and storing the user input query and the associated responsein the database of query answers.
 14. The system of claim 8, wherein theat least one processor is further configured to use an applicationprogramming interface (API) to establish the second communicationconnection; wherein the API comprises at least one of a text API, anaudio call API, a video call API, and a live agent text chat API.
 15. Anon-transitory, computer-readable medium containing instructionsthereon, which, when executed by a processor, are capable of performinga method comprising: when the processor is unable to locate a queryanswer corresponding to a user input query submitted to an artificialintelligence (AI) entity via a user interface of an instant messagingplatform, establishing a second communication connection for online chatbetween the user interface and a live agent interface, wherein the liveagent interface transmits responses that are dynamically provided by ahuman operator; evaluating a chat between the user interface and thelive agent interface, the chat transmitted via the second communicationconnection; identifying an answer to the user input query, based onevaluating the chat; and storing the answer to be provided by the AIentity during future chat instances of receiving the user input query.16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15, whereinthe method further comprises: establishing a first communicationconnection for online chat between the user interface and the AI entitycomprising the processor and a memory element configured to store adatabase of query answers; receiving, by the processor, the user inputquery transmitted via the first communication connection and from theuser interface; and performing a lookup, by the at least one processor,in the database of query answers, to locate a query answer correspondingto the user input query; wherein the second communication connection isestablished when the database of query answers does not include thequery answer corresponding to the user input query.
 17. Thenon-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the firstcommunication connection is established by connecting to an instantmessaging platform using a computer network; wherein the user interfacecomprises a graphical user interface (GUI) presented by the instantmessaging platform; and wherein the user input query is received via theGUI and transmitted by the instant messaging platform.
 18. Thenon-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein evaluatingthe chat further comprises: identifying contents of the chat, whereinthe contents comprise the user input query and a response provided bythe live agent interface, wherein the answer comprises the response; andwherein storing the answer further comprises: associating the responseto the user input query, to generate an associated response; and storingthe user input query and the associated response in the database ofquery answers, for future use.
 19. The non-transitory, computer-readablemedium of claim 16, wherein locating a query answer, by the processor,further comprises: performing the lookup to locate a match for the userinput query in the database, wherein the query answer corresponding tothe user input query further corresponds to the match in the database ofquery answers; and when there is no match for the user input query inthe database of query answers, determining that the processor is unableto locate a query answer.
 20. The non-transitory, computer-readablemedium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises: using anapplication programming interface (API) to establish the secondcommunication connection, by the processor; wherein the API comprises atleast one of a text API, an audio call API, a video call API, and a liveagent text chat API.